The present invention relates to systems and methods for providing an IV administration set equipped with a drip chamber having flow monitoring capabilities. Specifically, the present invention provides an IV administration set incorporating leads that are positioned in the flow pathway of the system. The leads are part of an electrical circuit that is closed and opened by the presence of fluid in the form of drops.
An IV administration set is commonly used to deliver to or retrieve from a patient a fluid, such as blood, a medicament, a nutritional supplement, or a solution. IV administration sets generally include a coupling assembly having a first end configured to access a fluid reservoir and having a second end equipped with a conduit for insertion into a patient. The coupling assembly further includes a drip chamber into which fluid from the fluid reservoir is collected prior to infusion into the patient via the conduit.
The rate at which a fluid flows through the IV administration set must be carefully monitored to ensure that the fluid is being infused in a proper and safe manner. The infusion rate is determined based on the number of drips that enter the drip chamber over a certain period of time. One method of controlling the infusion rate is to use an inline, electronically controlled pump to monitor the flow through the IV set. This type of pump typically includes a logic that permits a user to indicate a desired flow which in turn adjusts the speed of the pump. While these pumps are effective and useful, they require a power source that may not be available.
Another method of controlling the infusion rate is to use a clamp to partially occlude the flow through the conduit. A roller clamp, or similar clamping device, is commonly used to selectively occlude the conduit of the IV administration set thereby controlling the rate at which the fluid flows though the system. This typically requires a user to set the clamp and then count the drops as they enter the drip chamber. Depending upon how many drops are counted over a period of time, the user may be required to adjust the degree of occlusion until the desired infusion rate is achieved. This latter method, while effective, is not entirely accurate or convenient. For example, roller clamps are known to drift causing variation in the flow rate in the system.
Thus, while methods currently exist for setting an infusion rate for an IV administration set, challenges still exist. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an IV administration set having flow monitoring capabilities, which provides means for dealing with the drawbacks of currently available methods. Such an IV administration set is disclosed hererin.